I Didn't Say That!
by XxLadyStrengthxX
Summary: Even though she's hard-as-a-rock Jade West, she's still a teenage girl who can be insecure at times. She needs something else for people to talk about; something much more drastic, and that will better her reputation as the so-called 'bad girl' of Hollywood Arts./Or, how Beck responds to Jade dying her hair black…and how it affects their relationship.


**Title: **I Didn't Say That!

**Genre: **Romance & Humor**  
****Rating:** T to be safe; for some suggestive content  
**Pairings: **Beck/Jade, plus Cat/Jade friendship

**Description: **Even though she's hard-as-a-rock Jade West, she's still a teenage girl who can be insecure at times. She needs something else for people to talk about; something much more drastic, and that will better her reputation as the so-called 'bad girl' of Hollywood Arts./Or, how Beck responds to Jade dying her hair black…and how it affects their relationship.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Victorious. All rights belong to Nickelodeon and Dan Schneider.

**A/N: **This will be my 50th story to publish on this site! It's almost been four years...crazy! Anyway, this story came to me while in the shower - where all great ideas show up, to be honest! I have been watching Victorious all afternoon and a realization came to me, but you can read my story and probably pick it up.

* * *

She doesn't know exactly how long she's been sitting on her bathroom counter.

She guesses that it's been at least two hours now, because her little brother has begun his habitual knocking and pleading for her to open the door.

But there's something _off_ about her, and she just can't put her finger on it. Her reflection stares back at her intensely, as if challenging her. But she seriously _cannot_ figure out what is different.

There's the two piercings, the dark eye makeup, the pale skin, the light brown hair, the off-white and red streaks...

She huffs in frustration and turns the dial higher on her portable fan. The summer after her sophomore year is scorching, rising to triple digits nearly every day. She's clad in a basic, black tank-top and a pair of black spandex in attempt to cool herself down. Though she may not sweat (albeit the RV incident, but we _never speak of it_), she still gets hot and today is no exception.

She places her black painted fingernails against her cheeks and pushes on them slightly. She raises her eyebrows, but then furrows them immediately.

She's discovered the change and mentally kicks herself for not figuring it out fast enough.

She and her friends have had almost a boring summer vacation. With it being so hot, they've rarely gone outside over the past eight weeks. They've tried the beach, but every citizen of Los Angeles has had the same idea and caused the sandy shore to be packed tight. So the gang normally settles at the Vega residence, playing cards or having movie marathons while stuffing their faces with Fat Cakes and Jet Brew iced coffee.

She realizes that they've done nothing productive over their summer, except sit on their asses and waste away the time before starting their junior year of high school.

So, while looking in the mirror, she sighs at the fact that her cheeks are chubbier than they used to be, and comprehends the reason as to why her clothes have been snug lately. She doesn't like it one bit, because now she looks like a baby in the face and she _refuses_ to hear crap about it when she goes back to school.

Even though she's hard-as-a-rock Jade West, she's still a teenage girl who can be insecure at times.

She needs something else for people to talk about; something much more drastic, and that will better her reputation as the so-called 'bad girl' of Hollywood Arts.

She ponders for a moment, eliminating another tattoo or piercing because that's just so _typical _of her to do that no one will even take note of it. She rules out skipping school because, even though it is _school_, she really wants to make it in show business and needs guidance. Other rebellions that come to mind are vandalism, physically bullying, cussing out teachers and fellow students, pushing Vega – both of them – off the top of the building, and smoking on campus…but all of those are desperate cries for attention, so she weeds those out as well.

She's pulled out of her thoughts by the chiming of her PearPhone next to her, and reluctantly picks it up before finding that it's a message from her bubbly, red-headed best friend.

_Cat Valentine  
3:39 PM_

_JAAADDEEEYYYY. IT'S THAT TIME AGAIN! __HAHAHAHA RED VELVET CUPCAKES! YAAAAAAAY! :D_

And this causes Jade to smile, because now she knows _exactly _what she's going to do to make everyone drop their chizz on the first day of junior year.

* * *

"I love when we get to do this," the petite girl shrieks as Jade grabs a carrying shopping basket. "Because I get to spend time with you!"

Jade rolls her eyes at Cat's mushy comment and shoves it to the back of her mind. Even though Cat is her best friend, she really has her patience tested when hanging out with her. "Let's just get what we need and _go_," Jade grumbles as she follows Cat to the appropriate aisle.

Cat grabs the specific box that she and her best friend have been using since freshmen year and sets it in the basket. Jade surveys her options, knowing she wants the same brand as Cat, but she wants to be positive that isn't going to screw up her plan. She seizes the box of her choice and chunks it into the basket next to Cat's.

Cat gasps. "Black? Really, Jadey, are you sure?"

"It's what I want," Jade confirms, already turning on her heel to checkout. Cat just giggles and skips along Jade's side.

* * *

"Yay!" Cat exclaims as she runs her fingers through her bright, freshly dyed red hair. "It looks so good!"

"As always," Jade adds, complimenting herself on another job well done. She hands Cat her unopened box and warns, "Now Cat, I'm serious when I say _don't screw up_. This is my head we're dealing with. Got it?"

Cat tears open the top flap and retrieves the necessary tools to complete her task. "Kay Kay! I've watched you do it for years, Jadey. I'll be okay!"

Jade closes her eyes and prays that Cat truly knows what she's doing. She tosses the off-white and red streaks into the pink trashcan in Cat's bathroom before wrapping a towel around her shoulders to protect her clothes. "I trust you, Cat."

A sincere grin spreads across the red-head's face as she pulls the plastic gloves onto her tiny hands. "Here we go!"

They follow the routine: Cat mixes the dyes provided and spreads them evenly through Jade's long hair, making sure to not get any on places that might stain. When finished, they set a timer on Jade's PearPhone to match the waiting period instructed on the box. Throughout the setting process, Cat attempts to tell jokes, which Jade successfully ruins every single time. When it comes time for Jade to wash her hair, Cat leans her over the edge of the bathtub and begins to run the water through her locks.

"Eww, it's making the water look dirty!" she squeals playfully, to which Jade doesn't respond because the blood is rushing to her head from being upside down. Cat scrubs in the specific conditioner and helps Jade sit back up for another few minutes of waiting.

Cat wants to make up a story, and Jade somehow twists the fairytale in a mysterious murder in the woods, but her best friend still manages to come up with a happy ending. Apparently, the princess has magical powers to come back from the dead, but not as a zombie – to which Jade protests.

Back into the tub Jade goes and, when all the conditioner is washed out, Cat leaves the bathroom to tell her brother about the story she and Jade just created.

Jade dries her hair quickly in order to see the resulting color, then gives a satisfied smile when taking in her reflection. This will definitely have people talking when school starts back up.

She decides to apply green streaks to her new hair, as they never really flattered the light brown. But these are _perfect,_ with just enough of a 'pop' to get her the much deserved anxiety of her fellow students.

She decides to curl the green into the black, knowing it will only take a few minutes to do, so why not?

Jade finds herself fairly pleased with this new look, and actually feels her self-esteem boost quite a bit. She exits the bathroom to find Cat conversing with Mr. Purple, but the stuffed giraffe is long forgotten when Cat spies Jade from across the room.

She screams in joy and jumps off the bed to charge at her best friend. "Oh my God! It looks so pretty, Jadey!"

"I know," Jade agrees confidently, pushing at her roots to give her new locks some volume.

Cat beams even more. "What do you think Beck will say?"

Jade raises her eyebrows in consideration. "I don't know, but might as well find out."

* * *

Beck Oliver is awoken by a large boot being nudged into his ribs. "Jaaaaade," he moans, knowing exactly who is betraying is beauty rest, and pulls his pillow over his eyes when she turns on the lights.

"It's six in the evening. Why the hell are you asleep already?" his girlfriend of nearly three years barks back in response. He muffles an incoherent reply beneath the pillow, causing Jade to rolls her eyes in annoyance. She rips the pillow off his face, but he keeps his eyes closed.

"Because there's nothing to do! Am I crazy for wanting to back to school?!" Beck asks, bewildered at his own question.

Another eye roll. "If I agree, will you open your eyes?"

"Why do I need to open my eyes, Babe?" he ponders, placing his forearm where the pillow was once sitting.

"Because I have a surprise for you," Jade answers through gritted teeth.

Beck tenses. "Should I be scared?"

"Just open your damn eyes, Beck!"

And he does immediately to avoid facing the wrath of his high-maintenance girlfriend. What he sees, though, is beyond his imagination.

Beck sits up, allowing the blankets to fall and reveal his shirtless torso. He takes in his girlfriend's new appearance: much darker clothes (basically _all_ black), high combat boots, tights, and her _black hair_. "Wow."

"You don't like it?" she accuses bitterly.

If looks could kill, Beck Oliver would be dead and gone.

He stutters. "I-I didn't say that! It's nice?" It's more of a question than a statement…

"So you think it's ugly?!" At least there wasn't an attitude change…

"I didn't say that!" Beck repeats, more confidently this time. He moves his legs to the edge of the bed and stands up, slowly gripping his girlfriend's overwrought shoulders. "You look beautiful, as always."

"Don't be cheesy," she demands, but Beck knows she's fighting a smile under that scowl.

He chuckles whole-heartedly. "I'm not being cheesy, just honest!"

Jade snorts in laughter. "Sap."

Beck brushes a stray piece of black behind her ear. "Again, not a sap, but I will admit that his new hair color is sexy and suits you well. I am very attracted to you right now."

She doesn't react with words, but rather reaches up to wrap her arms around his neck and kisses him full on the lips. He complies, like the good boyfriend he is, and places a hand on the small of her back to bring her closer to his bare chest. They go on to greater things, all including Beck's hands tangled in a mesh of green and black. And Jade West knows she made the right decision when it came to change.

As a matter of fact, her first day of junior year is _almost _perfect. She scares three freshmen boys into the girls' bathroom, chases a sophomore girl around the parking lot during lunch because she is called a gank, and Beck is by her side for the whole day.

The one thing that didn't make it perfect, though, is that neither Vega sister 'fell' off the top of the building.

Oh well, there's always the remainder of the year _and _senior year for that.

* * *

**A/N: Eww, this isn't my best work. I really don't feel like I should publish this, but I worked on it and want it to have **_**some**_** recognition.**

**Reviews make me smile, and would help me feel better about this one :) I like favorites too, but I'd prefer a review!**

**Thanks everyone!**

**The Victorious Fandom rocks!**

**XxLadyStrengthxX**


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